The Thrid Part

Ye musis nine be in my adiutorie,
That maid me se this blis and perfite glorie,
Teiche me ȝour facund castis eloquent,
Len me a recent schairp fresche memorie,
And caus me dewlie till indite this storie,
Sum gratious sweitnes in my breist imprent,
Till mak the heirars bowsum and attent,
Reidand my writ, illuminate with ȝour loir,
Infinite thankis randerand ȝow thairfoir.

Now breiflie to my purpois for till gone,
About the hill lay wayis mony one,
And to the hicht bot ane passage ingraue,
Hewin in the roche of slid hard marbell stone,
Agane the sone like to the glas it schone,
The ascence was hie, and strait for till consaue.
ȝit than thir musis gudelie and suaue,
Alichtit doun and clam the roche in hie,
With all the rout, outtane my nimphe and I.

Still at the hillis fute we twa abaid,
Than suddanelie my keipar to me said,
Ascend galland; than for feir I quoik.
Be not affrayit, scho said, be not dismaid.
And with that word vp the strait rod abraid,
I followit fast, scho be the hand me tuik,
ȝit durst I neuer for dreid behind me luik,
With mekill pane thus clam I neir the hicht,
Quhair suddanelie I saw ane grislie sicht.

As we approchit neir the hillis heid,
Ane terribill sewch birnand in flammis reid,
Abhominabill, and how as hell to see,
All full of brintstane, pick, and bulling leid,
Quhair mony wretchit creature lay deid,
And miserabill catiues ȝelland loud on hie,
I saw, quhilk den micht weill compairit be
Till Xanthus the flude of Troy sa schill,
Birnand at Venus hest contrair Achill.

Amid our passage lay this vglie sicht,
Nocht braid but sa horribill to euerie wicht,
That all the warld to pas it suld haue dreid.
Weil I considderit na vppermair I micht,
And to discend sa hiddeous was the hicht,
I durst not auenture for this eird on breid,
Trimbland I stude with teith chatterand gude speid,
My nymphe beheld my cheir, and said let be,
Thow sall nocht aill, and lo the cause (quod sche).

To me thow art commit, I sall the keip,
Thir pieteous pepill amid this laithlie deip,
War wretchis quhilks in lustie ȝeiris fair,
Pretendit thame till hie honour to creip,
Bot suddanelie thay fell on sleuthfull sleip,
Followand plesance drownit in this loch of cair.
And with that word scho hint me be the hair,
Caryit me till the hillis heid anone,
As Abacuk was brocht in Babylone.

As we bene on the hie hill situait,
Luik doun (quod scho) consaue in quhat estait,
Thy wretchit warld thow may considder now.
At hir command with meikill dreid, God wait,
Out ouir the hill sa hiddeous hie and strait,
I blent adoun, and felt my bodie grow,
This brukill eird sa litill till allow,
Me thocht I saw birne in ane fyrie rage,
Of stormie sey quhilk might na maner swage.

That terribill tempest, hiddeous wallis huge,
War maist grislie for to behald or judge,
Quhair nouther rest nor quiet micht appeir,
Thair was ane perrellous place folk for to ludge,
Thair was na help support nor ȝit refuge,
Innumerabill folk I saw flotterand in feir,
Quhilk pereist on the walterand wallis weir.
And secundlie I saw ane lustie barge,
Ouirset with seyis, and mony stormie charge.

This gudelie carwell taiklit traist on raw,
With blanschite saill milk quhite as ony snaw,
Richt souer, ticht, and wonder stranglie beildit,
Was on the bairdin wallis quite ouirthraw,
Contrariouslie the busteous wind did blaw
In bubbis thik, that na schipis sail micht weild it.
Now sank scho law, now hie to heuin vpheildit.
At euerie part swa sey and windis draif,
Quhill on ane sand the schip did brist and claif.

It was ane pieteous thing, alaik, alaik,
To heir the dulefull cry, quhen that scho straik,
Maist lamentabill the pereist folk to se,
Sa fameist, drowkit, mait, forwrocht and waik,
Sum on an plank of fir tre, and sum of aik,
Sum hang vpon a takill, sum on ane tre,
Sum fra thair grip sone weschin with the see,
Part drownit, part to the roche fleit or swam,
On raipis or burdis, sine vp the hill thay clam.

Tho at my nimphe breiflie I did inquire,
Quhat signifyit that feirfull wonders seir.
ȝone multitude (said scho) of pepill drownit,
Ar faithles folk, quhilks quhill thay ar heir,
Misknawis God and followis thair pleseir,
Quhairfoir thay sall in endles fire be brint.
ȝone lustie schip thow seis pereist and tint,
In quhome ȝone pepill maid ane perrellous race,
Scho hecht the Carwell of the State of Grace.

ȝe bene all borne the sonnis of ire, I ges,
Sine throw baptisme gettis grace and faithfulnes,
Than in ȝone carwell surelie ȝe remane,
Oft stormested with this warldis brukilnes,
Quhill that ȝe fall in sin and wretchitnes,
Than schip brokin sall ȝe drown in endles pane,
Except be faith ȝe find the plank agane
Be Christ, wirking gude warkis I vnderstand,
Remane thairwith, thir sall ȝow bring to land.

This may suffice, (said scho) tuitchand this part;
Returne thy heid behald this vther art,
Considder wonders and be vigilant,
That thow may better endyten efterwart,
Things quhilkis I sall the schaw or we depart,
Thow sall haue fouth of sentence and not scant,
Thair is na welth nor weilfair thow sall want,
The greit Palice of Honour thow sall se,
Lift vp thy heid, behald that sicht (quod sche).

At hir command I raisit hie on hicht,
My visage till behald that heuinlie sicht,
Bot to discriue this mater in effek,
Impossibill war till ony eirdlie wicht,
It transcendis far abone my micht
That I with ink may do bot paper blek,
I mon draw furth the ȝok lyis on my nek,
As of the place to say my leude auise,
Pleneist with plesance like to paradice.

I saw ane plane of peirles pulchritude,
Quhairin aboundit alkin thingis gude
Spyce, wine, corne, oyle, tre, frute, flour, herbis grene,
All foullis, beistis, birdis, and alkin fude.
All maner fisches baith of sey and flude
War keipit in pondis of poleist siluer schene,
With purifyit water as of the cristall clene,
To noy the small, the greit beistis had na will,
Nor rauenous foulis the lytill volatill.

Still in the sessoun all things remanit thair,
Perpetuallie but outher noy or sair,
Ay rypit war baith herbis, frute and flouris.
Of euerie thing the names to declair
Vnto my febill wit vnpossibill wair,
Amid the meid repleit with sweit odouris,
A palice stude with mony royall towris,
Quhair kyrnellis quent, feil turettis men micht find,
And goldin fanis waifand with the wind.

Pinnakillis, fyellis, turnpekkis mony one,
Gilt birneist torris, quhilk like to Phebus schone,
Skarsment, reprise, corbell, and battellingis,
Fulȝery, bordouris of mony precious stone,
Subtile muldrie wrocht mony day agone,
On buttereis, jalme, pillaris and plesand springis,
Quick imagerie with mony lustie singis,
Thair micht be sene, and mony worthie wichtis,
Befoir the ȝet arrayit all at richtis.

Furth past my nimphe, I followit subsequent,
Straicht throw the plane to the first waird we went
Of the palice, and enterit at the port,
Thair saw we mony staitlie tornament,
Lancis brokin, knichtis laid on the bent,
Plesand pastance, and mony lustie sport,
Thair saw we als, and sum time battell mort.
All thir (quod scho) on Venus seruice vaikis,
In deidis of armis for thair ladyis saikis.

Vesyand I stude the principall place but peir,
That heuinlie Palice all of cristall cleir,
Wrocht as me thocht of poleist beriall stone.
Bosiliall nor Oliab, but weir,
Quhilk sancta sanctorum maid maist riche and deir,
Nor he that wrocht the tempill of Salomon,
Nor he that beildit the royall Ylion,
Nor he that forgit Darius sepulture,
Culd not performe sa craftelie ane cure.

Studiand heiron my nimphe vnto me spak,
Thus in a stair, quhy standis thow stupifak,
Gouand all day, and nathing hes vesite.
Thow art prolixt, in haist returne thy bak,
Ga efter me and gude attendance tak,
Quhat now thow seis, luik efterwart thow write,
Thow sall behald all Venus blis perfite.
Thairwith scho till ane garth did me conuoy,
Quhair that I saw aneuch of perfite joy.

Amid ane throne with stanis riche ouirfret
And claith of gold Lady Venus was set,
By hir, hir sone Cupide quhilk nathing seis,
Quhair Mars enterit na knawledge micht I get,
Bot straicht befoir Venus visage but let,
Stude emerant stages twelf, grene precious greis,
Quhairon thair grew thre curious goldin treis,
Vpstandand weill the goddes face beforne,
Ane fair mirrour be thame quentlie vpborne.

Quhairof it makit was I haue na feill,
Of beriall, cristall, glas or birneist steill,
Of diamant, or of the carbunkill gem,
Quhat thing it was, define may I not weill,
Bot all the bordour circulair euerie deill,
Was plait of gold, cais, stok, and vtter hem,
With verteous stanis picht that blude wald stem.
For quha that woundit was in the tornament,
Wox haill fra he vpon the mirrour blent.

This royall relick sa riche and radious,
Sa poleist, plesand, purifyit and precious,
Quhais bounteis half to write I not presume,
Thairon to se was sa delitious,
And sa excelland schaddowis gracious,
Surmounting far in brichtnes to my dome,
The coistlie subtell spectakill of Rome,
Or ȝit the mirrour send to Canace,
Quhairin men micht mony wonders se.

In that mirrour I micht se at ane sicht,
The deidis and fatis of euerie eirdlie wicht,
All thingis gone like as thay war present,
All the creatiounis of the angellis bricht,
Of Lucifer the fall for all his micht,
Adam first maid and in the eirth ysent,
And Noyes flude thair saw I subsequent,
Babylon beild, that towre of sic renoun,
Of Sodomes the feill subuersioun.

Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph I saw,
Hornit Moyses with his auld Hebrew law,
Ten plaiges in Egypt send for thair trespas,
In the Reid sey with all his court on raw
King Pharao drownit, that God wald neuer knaw,
I saw quhat wise the sey deuydit was,
And all the Hebrewis dry fute ouir it pas,
Sine in desert I saw thame fourtie ȝeiris,
Of Josue I saw the worthie weiris.

Of Judicum the battellis strang anone,
I saw of Jephte, and of Gedeone,
Of Amalech the cruell homicide,
The wonderfull workis of douchtie duke Samsone,
Quhilk slew a thousand with ane asses bone,
Rent tempillis down and ȝettis in his pride,
Of quhais strenth merwellis this warld sa wide,
I saw duke Sangor thair with mony a knok,
Sex hundreth men slew with ane pleuchis sok.

The prophet Samuel saw I in that glas,
Anoyntit king Saull, quhais sone Jonathas,
I saw vincus ane greit oist him allane,
ȝoung Dauid sla the grislie Golyas,
Quhais speir heid wecht thre hundreth vnces was,
Jesbedonab the gyant mekill of mane,
Lay be the handis of michtie Dauid slane,
With fingers sex on ather hand but weir,
Dauid I saw slay baith lyoun and beir.

This Dauid eik at ane onset a stound,
Aucht hundreth men I saw him bring to ground,
With him I saw Banayas the strang,
Quhilk twa lyounis of Moab did confound,
And gaue the stalwart Ethiop deidis wound,
With his awin speir that of his hand he thrang.
Vnabasitlie this campioun saw I gang,
In a deip cisterne, and thair a lyoun sleuch,
Quhilk in ane storme of snaw did harme aneuch.

Of Salomon the wisdome and estait,
Thair saw I, and his riche tempill, God wait,
His son Roboam quhilk throw his helie pride,
Tint all his leigis hartis be his fait,
He was to thame sa outrageous ingrait,
Of twelf tribes ten did fra him diuide.
I saw the angell sla be nichtis tide
Four scoir thousandis of Sennacheribs oist,
Quhilk come to weir on Jowry with greit boist.

I saw the life of the king Eȝechy
Prolongit xv. ȝeir, and the prophet Hely
Amid a fyrie chair to paradice went.
The storyis of Esras and of Neemy,
And Daniell in the lyounis caue saw I,
For he the dragoun slew, Bel brak and schent,
The children thre amid the fornace sent,
I saw the transmigratioun in Babylon,
And baith the buikis of Paralipomenon.

I saw the halie archangell Raphaell,
Marie Sara the douchter of Raguell
On Thobias for his just fathers saik,
And bind the cruell deuill that was sa fell,
Quhilk slew hir seuin first husbands as thay tell;
And how Judith Holiphernes heid of straik,
By nichtis tyde, and fred hir toun fra wraik.
Jonas in the quhaillis wombe dayis thre,
And schot furth sine I saw at Niniue.

Of Job I saw the patience maist degest.
Of Alexander I saw the greit conquest,
Quhilk in twelf ȝeirs wan neir this warld on breid.
And of Anthiocus the greit vnrest,
How tyranlie he Jowrie all opprest,
Of Machabeus full mony ane knichtlie deid,
That gart all Grece and Egypt stand in dreid,
In quiet brocht his realme throw his prowes.
I saw his brether Symon and Jonathas,

Quhilks war maist worthie quhil thair dayis rang.
Of Thebes eik I saw the weiris lang,
Quhair Tydeus allone slew fiftie knichtis;
How finallie of Grece the campiounis strang,
All haill the flour of knichtheid in that thrang
Destroyit was, quhill Theseus with his michtis,
The toun and Creon wan for all his slichtis.
Thair saw I how, as Statius dois tell,
Amphiorax the bischop sank to hell.

The faithful ladyis of Grece I micht considder,
In claithis black all bairfute pas togidder,
Till Thebes sege fra thair lordis war slain;
Behald ȝe men that callis ladyis lidder,
And licht of laitis, quhat kindnes brocht them hidder,
Quhat treuth and lufe did in thair breists remane,
I traist ȝe sall reid in na writ agane
In ane realme sa mony of sic constance.
Persaue thairby wemen ar till auance.

Of duke Pirithous the spousage in that tide,
Quhair the Centauris reft away the bride,
Thair saw I, and thair battell hudge to se.
And Hercules quhais renoun walkis wide,
For Ixiona law by Troyis side,
Faucht and ouircome a monstour in the sey,
For quhilk, (quhen his rewaird denyit was) he
Maid the first seige and the destructioun
Of michtie Troy, quhylum that royall toun.

To win the fleis of gold tho saw I sent
Of Grece the nobillis with Jason consequent,
Haill thair conqueist, and all Medeas slichtis,
How for Jason Ypsiphile was schent,
And how at Troy as thay to Colchos went,
Greikis tholit of king Laomedon greit vnrichtis,
Quhairfoir Troy destroyit was be thair michtis,
Ixiona reuist and Laomedon slane,
Bot Priamus restorit the toun agane.

The judgement of Paris saw I sine,
That gaue the apill as poetis can define
Till Venus, as goddes maist gudlie,
And how in Grece he reuischit quene Helene,
Quhairfoir the Greikis with thair greit nauie,
Full mony thousand knichtis hastelie,
Thame till reuenge saillit towart Troy in hy,
I saw how be Vlixes with greit joy,
Quhatwise Achill was found and brocht to Troy.

The cruell battellis, and the dintis strang,
The greit debait, and eik the weiris lang
At Troyis seige, the mirrour to me schew,
Sustenit ten ȝeiris Greikis Troianis amang,
And ather partie set full oft in thrang,
Quhair that Hector did douchtie deidis anew,
Quhill feirce Achil baith him and Troylus slew,
The greit hors maid I saw, and Troy sine tint,
And fair Ylion all in flambis brint.

Sine out of Troy, I saw the fugitiues,
How that Eneas as Virgill weill discriues,
In countreis seir was be the seyis rage
Bewauit oft, and how that he arriues
With all his flote but danger of thair liues,
And how thay war resset baith man and page
Be quene Dido remanand in Carthage;
And how Eneas sine, as that thay tell,
Went for to seik his father doun in hell.

Ouir Stix the flude I saw Eneas fair,
Quhair Charon was the busteous ferriar,
The fludes four of hell thair micht I se,
The folk in pane, the wayis circulair,
The welterand stone wirk Sisipho mich cair,
And all the plesance of the camp Elise,
Quhair auld Anchises did commoun with Enee,
And schew be line all his successioun,
This ilk Eneas maist famous of renoun.

I saw to goddes mak the sacrifice,
Quhairof the ordour and maner to deuise
War ouir prolixt, and how Eneas syne,
Went to the schip, and eik I saw quhat wise,
All his nauie greit hounger did supprise,
How he in Italie finallie with greit pyne,
Arryuit at the strandis of Lauyne,
And how he faucht weill baith on landis and seyis,
And Turnus slew the king of Rutileis.

Rome saw I beildit first be Romulus,
And eik how lang as writes Liuius,
The Romane kingis abone the pepill rang,
And how the wickit proud Tarquinius,
With wife and barnis be Brutus Junius
War exylit Rome for thair insufferabill wrang,
Bot all the proces for to schaw war lang,
How chaist Lucrece the gudliest and best
Be Sextus Tarquine was cruellie opprest.

The Punik battellis in that mirrour cleir,
Betwene Carthage and Romanis mony ȝeir
I saw, becaus Eneas pieteous
Fled fra Dido be admonitiounis seir,
Betwene thir pepill rais ane langsum weir;
I saw how worthie Marcus Regulus,
Maist vailȝeand, prudent, and victorious,
Howbeit he micht at libertie gone fre,
For commoun profite cheisit for to die.

Tullus Seruilius douchtie in his daw,
And Marcus Curtius eik in the mirrour I saw,
Quhilk throw his stoutnes in the fyrie gap
For commoun profite of Rome himself did thraw,
Richt vnabaisitlie hauand na dreid nor aw,
Mountit on hors, vnarmit thairin lap;
And Hanniball I saw be fatall hap,
Win contrair Romanis mony fair victorie,
Quhill Scipio eclipsit all his glorie.

This worthie Scipio cleipit Aphricane,
I saw vincus this Hanniball in plane,
And Carthage bring vnto finall ruine,
And sine to Rome conquerit the realme of Spane,
How king Iugurtha hes his brether slane,
Thair saw I eik, and of his weir the fine.
Richt weill I saw the battellis intestine
Of Catilina and of Lentulus,
And betwene Pompey and Cesar Julius.

And breiflie euerie famous douchtie deid,
That men in storie may se, or chronikill reid,
I micht behald in that mirrour expres;
The miserie, the crueltie, the dreid,
Pane, sorrow, wo, baith wretchitnes and neid,
The greit inuy, couetous dowbilnes,
Tuitchand warldlie vnfaithfull brukilnes.
I saw the feind fast folkis to vices tyst,
And all the cumming of the Antechrist.

Plesand debaitmentis quha sa richt reportis,
Thair micht be sene, and all maner disportis,
The falcounis for the riuer at thair gait,
Newand the foullis in periculo mortis,
Layand thame in be companeis and sortis,
And at the plunge part saw I handillit hait.
The werie hunter besie air and lait,
With questing houndis seirching to and fra,
To hunt the hart, the bair, the da, the ra.

I saw Raf Coilȝear with his thrawin brow,
Craibit Johne the Reif, and auld Cowkewyis sow;
And how the wran came out of Ailssay;
And Peirs Plewman that maid his workmen fow;
Greit Gowmakmorne and Fyn Makcoul, and how
Thay suld be goddis in Ireland as they say;
Thair saw I Maitland vpon auld Beird Gray;
Robene Hude, and Gilbert with the quhite hand,
How Hay of Nauchtoun flew in Madin land.

The nigromansie thair saw I eik anone,
Of Benytas, Bongo, and Freir Bacone,
With mony subtill point of juglary;
Of Flanders peis maid mony precious stone,
Ane greit laid sadill of a siching bone,
Of ane nutemug they maid a monk in hy,
Ane paroche kirk of ane penny py;
And Benytas of ane mussill maid ane aip,
With mony vther subtill mow and jaip.

And schortlie to declair the veritie,
All plesand pastance and gammis that micht be,
In that mirrour war present to my sicht;
And as I wonderit on that greit farlie,
Venus at last, in turning of her eye,
Knew weill my face, and said, be Goddis micht,
ȝe bene welcum my presonar to this hicht,
How passit thow (quod scho) this hiddeous deip?
Madame (quod I) I not mair than ane scheip.

Na force thairof (said scho) sen thow art heir,
How plesis the our pastance and effeir?
Glaidlie (quod I) madame, be God of heuin.
Rememberis thow (said scho) withouttin weir,
On thy promit quhen of thy greit dangeir
I the deliuerit? As now is not to neuin.
Than answerit I agane with sober steuin,
Madame ȝour precept quhat sa be ȝour will,
Heir I remane all reddy to fulfill.

Weill, weill, (said scho) thy will is sufficent,
Of thy bowsum answer I stand content.
Then suddanelie in hand ane buik scho hint,
The quhilk to me betaucht scho or I went,
Commandand me to be obedient,
And put in ryme that proces than quite tint,
I promisit hir forsuith or scho wald stint,
The buik ressauand, thairon my cure to preif,
Inclynand sine, lawlie I tuik my leif.

Tuitchand this buik perauenture ȝe sall heir,
Sum time efter, quhen I haue mair laseir.
My nimphe in haist scho hint me be the hand,
And as we samyn walkit furth in feir,
I the declair (quod scho) ȝone mirrour cleir,
The quhilk thow saw befoir Dame Venus stand,
Signifyis na thing ellis to vnderstand,
Bot the greit bewtie of thir ladyis facis,
Quhairin louers thinks thay behald all graces.

Scho me conuoyit finallie to tell,
With greit plesance straicht to the riche castell,
Quhair mony saw I preis to get ingres.
Thair saw I Sinon and Achitophell,
Preissand to clim the wallis, and how they fell.
Lucius Catiline saw I thair expres,
In at an windo preis till haue entres,
Bot suddanelie Tullius come with ane buik,
And straik him doun quhill all his chaftis quoik.

Fast climmand vp thay lustie wallis of stone,
I saw Jugurtha and tressonabill Tryphone,
Bot thay na grippis thair micht hald for slidder.
Preissand to clim stude thousandis mony one,
And to the ground thay fallin euerie one.
Than on the wall ane garitour I considder,
Proclamand loud that did thair hartis swidder;
Out on all falsheid the mother of euerie vice,
Away inuy and birnand couetice.

That garitour tho, my nimphe vnto me tald,
Was cleipit Lawtie, keipar of that hald
Of hie honour, and thay pepill outschet,
Swa preissand thame to clim quhylum war bald,
Richt verteous ȝoung, bot fra time thai wox ald,
Fra honour haill on vice thair minde is set.
Now sall thow go (quod scho) straicht to the ȝet
Of this Palice, and enter but offence,
For the portar is cleipit Patience.

The michtie prince, the greitest empreour,
Of ȝone Palice (quod scho) hecht hie Honour,
Quhome to dois serue mony traist officiair,
For Cheritie of gudlines the flour,
Is maister houshald in ȝone cristall towr,
Firme Constance is the kingis secretair,
And Liberalitie hecht his thesaurair,
Innocence and Deuotioun as effeiris,
Bene clerkis of closet and cubiculairis.

His comptrollar is cleipit Discretioun,
Humanitie and trew Relatioun
Bene ischaris of his chalmer morne and ewin,
Peice, quiet Rest, oft walkis vp and doun,
In till his hall as marschellis of renoun,
Temperance is cuik his meit to taist and preif,
Humilitie carwer, that na wicht list to greif,
His maister sewar hecht Verteous discipline,
Mercie is copper and mixis weill his wine.

His chancelair is cleipit Conscience,
Quhilk for na meid will pronounce fals sentence.
With him ar assessouris four of ane assent,
Science, Prudence, Justice, Sapience,
Quhilks to na wicht list in commit offence;
The chekker rollis and the kingis rent
As auditouris thay ouirse quhat is spent.
Lauborous diligence, Gude warkis, Clene leuing,
Bene outstewartis and catouris to ȝone king.

Gude hope remains euer amang ȝone sort,
Ane fine menstraill with mony mow and sport,
And Pietie is the kingis almoseir,
Sine Fortitude, the richt quha list report,
Is Lieutenand all wretchis to comfort.
The kingis minȝeoun roundand in his eir,
Hecht Veritie, did neuer leill man deir,
And schortlie euerie vertew and plesance,
Is subiect to ȝone kingis obeysance.

Cum on (said scho) this ordinance to vesite.
Than past we to that cristall palice quhite,
Quhair I abaid the entrie to behold,
I bad na mair of plesance nor delite,
Of lustie sicht, of joy and blis perfite,
Nor mair weilfair to haue abone the mold,
Than for to se that ȝet of birneist gold,
Quhairon thair was maist curiouslie ingraue,
All naturall thingis men may in eird consaue.

Thair was the eirth enuironit with the sey,
Quhairon the schippis sailland micht I se,
The air, the fire, all the four elementis,
The spheiris seuin, and primum mobile,
The signes twelf perfitelie euerie gre,
The Zodiak haill as buikis representis,
The Pole Antartick that euer himself absentis,
The Pole Artick and eik the Vrsis twane,
The seuin starnis, Phaton and the Charlewane.

Thair was ingraue how that Ganamedes
Was reft till heuin, as men in Ouide reidis,
And vnto Juppiter maid his cheif butlair.
The douchteris fair into thair lustie weidis
Of Driada, amid the sey but dreidis
Swymmand, and part war figurit thair,
Vpon ane craig dryand thair ȝallow hair,
With facis not vnlike, for quha thame seing
Micht weill considder that thay all sisters being.

Of planeitis all the coniunctiounis,
Thair episciclis and oppositiounis
War portrait thair, and how thair coursis swagis.
Thair naturall and daylie motiounis,
Eclipsis, aspectis and digressiounis
Thair saw I, and mony gudlie personages,
Quhilks semit all lustie quick images,
The warkmanschip exceding mony fold
The precious mater, thocht it was fynest gold.

Wonderand heiron agane my will, but let,
My nimphe in greif schot me in at the ȝet.
Quhat deuill (said scho) hes thow nocht ellis ado,
Bot all thy wit and fantasie to set
On sic doting? and tho for feir I swet
Of hir langage; bot than anone (said scho),
List thow se farleis, behald thame ȝonder lo,
ȝit studie nocht ouir mekill a dreid thow varie,
For I persaue the halflingis in ane farie.

Within that Palice sone I gat ane sicht,
Quhair walkand went full mony worthie wicht
Amid the clois, with all mirthis to waill.
For like Phebus with fyrie bemis bricht,
The wallis schane castand sa greit ane licht,
It semit like the heuin imperiall;
And as the ceder surmountis the rammall
In perfite hicht, sa of that court a glance
Exceidis far all eirdlie vane plesance.

For lois of sicht considder micht I nocht
How perfitelie the riche wallis war wrocht;
Swa the reflex of christall stanis schone,
For brichtnes scarslie blenk thairon I mocht;
The purifyit siluer surelie as me thocht,
Insteid of symont was ouir all that wone,
ȝit round about full mony ane beriall stone,
And thame coniunctlie jonit fast and quemit,
The clois was pathit with siluer as it semit.

The durris and the windois all war breddit
With massie gold, quhairof the fynes scheddit.
With birneist euir baith Palace and towris
War theikit weill, maist craftelie that cled it,
For sa the quhitlie blanschit bone ouirspred it,
Midlit with gold anamalit all colouris,
Importurait of birdis and sweit flouris,
Curious knottis, and mony hie deuise,
Quhilks to behald war perfite paradise.

And to proceid my nymphe and I furth went,
Straicht to the hall throwout the Palice gent,
And ten stages of topas did ascend.
Schute was the dure, in at a boir I blent,
Quhair I beheld the glaidest represent
That euer in eirth a wretchit catiue kend.
Breiflie this proces to conclude and end,
Me thocht the flure was all of amatist,
Bot quhairof war the wallis I not wist.

The multitude of precious stainis seir
Thairon sa schane, my febill sicht but weir
Micht not behald thair verteous gudlines.
For all the ruif as did to me appeir,
Hang full of plesand lowpit sapheiris cleir,
Of dyamontis and rubeis as I ges.
War all the buirdis maid of maist riches,
Of sardanis, of jasp, and smaragdane,
Traistis, formis, and benkis war poleist plane.

Baith to and fro amid the hall thay went,
Royall princes in plait and armouris quent,
Of birneist gold couchit with precious stanis.
Enthronit sat ane God omnipotent,
On quhais glorious visage as I blent
In extasie, be his brichtnes atanis
He smote me doun, and brissit all my banis;
Thair lay I still in swoun with colour blaucht,
Quhill at the last my nymphe vp hes me caucht.

Sine with greit pane, with womenting and cair,
In hir armis scho bair me doun the stair,
And in the clois full softlie laid me doun,
Vpheld my heid to tak the hailsum air,
For of my life scho stude in greit despair.
Me till awalk ay was that lady boun,
Quhill finallie out of that deidlie swoun,
I swyith ouircome, and vp mine ene did cast.
Be merie man (quod scho) the worst is past.

Get vp (scho said) for schame be na cowart,
My heid in wed thow hes ane wyifes hart,
That for a plesand sicht was sa mismaid.
Than all in anger vpon my feit I start;
And for hir wordis war sa apirsmart,
Vnto the nimphe I maid a busteous braid,
Carling (quod I) quhat was ȝone that thow said?
Soft ȝow (said scho) thay are not wyse that stryifis,
For kirkmen war ay gentill to thair wyifis.

I am richt glaid thow art worthin sa wicht,
Langeir me thocht ȝow had nouther force nor micht,
Curage nor will for to haue greuit ane fla.
Quhat aillit the to fall? (quod I) the sicht
Of ȝone goddes grim fyrie visage bricht
Ouirset my wit, and all my spreitis swa,
I micht not stand; bot was that suith, ȝa, ȝa.
Than said the nimphe richt merilie and leuch,
Now I considder thy mad hart weill aneuch.

I will na mair (quod scho) the thus assay
With sic plesance, quhilk may thy spreit affray,
ȝit sall thow se surelie, sen thow art heir,
My ladyis court in thair gudlie array;
For to behald thair mirth cum on thy way.
Than hand in hand swyith went we furth in feir,
At a posterne towart the fair herbeir.
In that passage full fast at her I franit,
Quhat folk thay war within that hall remanit.

ȝone war (said scho) quha sa the richt discriues,
Maist vailȝeand folk and verteous in thair liues,
Now in the court of Honour thay remane
Verteouslie, and in all pleasance thriues,
For thay with speir, with swordis, and with kniues,
In just battell war fundin maist of mane,
In thair promittis thay stude euer firme and plane,
In thame aboundit worschip and lawtie,
Illuminat with liberalitie.

Honour (quod scho) to this heuinlie ring
Differris richt far fra warldlie gouerning,
Quhilk is bot pompe of eirdlie dignitie,
Geuin for estait of blude, micht, or sic thing;
And in this countrie prince, prelate, or king,
Allanerlie sall for vertew honourit be.
For eirdlie gloir is nocht bot vanitie,
That as we se sa suddanelie will wend,
Bot verteous honour neuer mair sall end.

Behald (said scho) and se this warldis glorie,
Maist inconstant, maist slid and transitorie.
Prosperitie in eird is bot a dreme,
Or like as man war steppand ouir ane scoir,
Now is he law that was sa hie befoir,
And he quhylum was borne pure of his deme,
Now his estait schynis like the sone beme.
Baith vp and doun, baith to and fra, we se
This warld walteris, as dois the wallie sey.

To papis, bischoppis, prelatis and primaitis,
Empreouris, kingis, princes, potestatis
Deith settis the terme and end of all thair hicht;
Fra thay be gane, let se quha on thame waitis!
Nathing remanis bot fame of thair estaitis,
And nocht ellis bot verteous warkis richt
Sall with thame wend; nouther thair pompe nor micht.
Ay vertew ringis in lestand honour cleir,
Remember than that vertew hes na peir.

For vertew is a thing sa precious,
Quhairof the end is sa delicious,
The warld can not considder quhat it is.
It makis folk perfite and glorious,
It makis sanctis of pepill vitious,
It causis folk ay liue in lestand blis,
It is the way to hie honour I wis,
It dantis deith, and euerie vice throw micht;
Without vertew, fy on all eirldlie wicht.

Vertew is eik the perfite sicker way,
And nocht ellis, till lestand honour ay.
For mony hes sene vitious pepill vphieit,
And efter sone thair glore vanische away,
Quhairof exampillis we se this euerie day.
His eirdlie pompe is gone quhen that he deit,
Than is he with na eirdlie freind suppleit
Saifand vertew; weill is him hes sic a feir!
Now wil I schaw (quod scho) what folk bene heir.

The strangest Sampsoun is into ȝone hald,
The forcie puissant Hercules sa bald,
The feirs Achill, and all the nobillis nyne,
Scipio Affricane, Pompeius the ald,
Vther mony quhais namis befoir ar tald,
With thousandis ma than I may heir defyne,
And lustie ladyis amid thay lordis syne,
Semiramis, Thamar, Hippolita,
Penthessilea, Medea, Zenobia.

Of thy regioun ȝonder bene honourit part,
The kingis Gregour, Kenneth, and king Robart,
With vther ma that beis not heir reheirsit.
Waryit (quod scho) ay be thy megir hart,
Thow suld haue sene had thow biddin in ȝone art,
Quhat wise ȝone heuinlie companie conuersit.
Wa worth thy febill brane sa sone was persit,
Thow micht haue sene remanand quhair thow was,
Ane hudge pepill puneist for thair trespas,

Quhilks be wilfull manifest arrogance,
Inuyous pride, pretendit ignorance,
Foull dowbilnes and dissait vnamendit,
Enforcis thame thairselfis to auance
Be sle falsheid, but lawtie or constance,
With subtelnes and slichtis now commendit,
Betraisand folk that neuer to thame offendit,
And vpheis thameself throw fraudeful lipps,
Thocht God caus oft thair eirdlie gloir eclipps.

And nobillis cummin of honorabill ancestry,
Thair verteous nobilitie settis nocht by,
For dishonest vnlefull warldlie wayis,
And throw corruptit couetous inuy,
Bot he that can be dowbill, nane is set by.
Dissait is wisdome; lawtie, honour away is,
Richt few or nane takis tent thairto thir dayis,
And thair greit wrangis to reforme, but let,
In judgement ȝone God was ȝonder set.

Remanand ȝonder thow micht haue hard beliue,
Pronouncit the greit sentence diffinitiue,
Tuitchand this actioun, and the dreidfull pane
Execute on trespassouris ȝit on liue,
Swa that thair malice sall na mair prescriue.
Madame (quod I) for Goddis sake turne agane,
My spreit desyris to se thair torment fane.
(Quod scho) richt now thair sall thow be reioisit,
Quhen thow hes tane the air and better appoisit.

Bot first thow sall considder commoditeis
Of our garding, so full of lustie treis,
All hie cypres of flewer maist fragrant.
Our ladyis ȝonder bissie as the beis,
The sweit flureist flouris of rethoreis
Gadderis full fast, mony grene tender plant,
And with all plesance pleneist is ȝone hant,
Quhair precious stanis on treis dois abound,
In steid of frute chargeit with peirlis round.

Vnto that gudlie garth thus we proceid,
Quhilk with a large fowsie far on breid
Inueronit was, quhair fisches war anew,
All water foullis war swemand thair gude speid;
Als out of growand treis thair saw I breid
Foullis that hingand be thair nebbis grew,
Out ouir the stank of mony diuers hew
Was laid ane tre, ouir quhilk behouit vs pas,
Bot I can not declair quhairof it was.

My nimphe went ouir, chargeand me follow fast,
Hir till obey my spreitis wox agast,
Sa perrellous was the passage till espy.
Away scho went and fra time scho was past,
Vpon the brig I enterit at the last,
Bot sa my harnis trimblit besily,
Quhill I fell ouir, and baith my feit slaid by,
Out ouir the heid into the stank adoun,
Quhair as me thocht I was in point to droun.

Quhat throw the birdis sang, and this affray,
Out of my swoun I walknit quhair I lay,
In the garding quhair I first doun fell.
About I blent, for richt cleir was the day,
Bot all this lustie plesance was away.
Me thocht that fair herbrie maist like to hell,
In till compair of this ȝe hard me tell.
Allace, allace, I thocht me than in pane,
And langit sair for to haue swemit agane.

The birdis sang, nor ȝit the merie flouris,
Micht not ameis my greuous greit dolouris,
All eirdlie thing me thocht barrane and vile.
Thus I remanit into the garth twa houris,
Cursand the feildis with all the fair colouris,
That I awolk oft wariand the quhile,
Alwayis my minde was on the lustie ile,
I purpoisit euer till haue dwelt in that art,
Of rethorik cullouris till haue found sum part.

And maist of all my curage was aggreuit,
Becaus sa sone I of my dreme escheuit,
Not seand how thay wretchis war torment,
That honour mankit and honestie mischeuit.
Glaidlie I wald amid this writ haue breuit,
Had I it sene how thay war slane or schent.
Bot fra I saw all this weilfair was went,
Till mak an end, sittand vnder a tre,
In laude of honour I wrait thir versis thre.

O hie honour, sweit heuinlie flour degest,
Gem verteous, maist precious, gudliest.
For hie renoun thow art guerdoun conding,
Of worschip kend the glorious end and rest,
But quhome in richt na worthie wicht may lest.
Thy greit puissance may maist auance all thing,
And pouerall to mekill auaill sone bring.
I the require sen thow but peir art best,
That efter this in thy hie blis we ring.

Of grace thy face in euerie place sa schynis,
That sweit all spreit baith heid and feit inclynis,
Thy gloir afoir for till imploir remeid.
He docht richt nocht, quhilk out of thocht the tynis;
Thy name but blame, and royal fame diuine is;
Thow port at schort of our comfort and reid,
Till bring all thing till glaiding efter deid,
All wicht but sicht of thy greit micht ay crynis,
O schene I mene, nane may sustene thy feid.

Haill rois maist chois till clois thy fois greit micht,
Haill stone quhilk schone vpon the throne of licht,
Vertew, quhais trew sweit dew ouirthrew al vice,
Was ay ilk day gar say the way of licht;
Amend, offend, and send our end ay richt.
Thow stant, ordant as sanct, of grant maist wise,
Till be supplie, and the hie gre of price.
Delite the tite me quite of site to dicht,
For I apply schortlie to thy deuise.